New kinds of social media are popping up like wildfire, but which ones are catching the eyes of consumers?
We all know the social media big timers—Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn—but a new wave of alternative social media sites are worth looking into. Some have been around a while, but they can still help your business’ visibility and discoverability.
- Relatively new to the social media mix: Pinterest.com
- YouTube has been around since 2005 as a video sharing website. Recently, companies have been using this online tool to promote their services and advertise themselves. YouTube videos work because they are easily accessible and can be shared easily. Not to mention they help with Google Optimization.
- StumbleUpon was created to let users “stumble” through sites related to their interests. All companies have to do to become a part of StumbleUpon is submit their website and associated categories. From here, whenever a person clicks “stumble,” their website has a chance to pop up on the site. On StumbleUpon, a link to a company’s blog or specific product pages would be most effective.
- Pinterest (pictured above) is a different kind of social media site. A mix between StumbleUpon, Twitter, and Facebook, users can see images other users have “pinned,” or uploaded. You can “re-pin” an image someone else has already pinned onto your own boards. Users create boards and categorize them however they want, such as fitness, food, crafts, or weddings. Business can get into it, too. A bakery could utilize this site by uploading pictures of their wedding cakes and linking the pin on their website. Just one re-pin can reach hundreds of people. Uses of this site can be limitless to a company.
- Podcasts are a free tool that can be accessed on iTunes. Companies can create podcasts educating listeners about strategies used by the company and recent marketing efforts. It is a great way to keep clients up-to-date on your actions as a company. Podcasts also help with Google Optimization.
Social media has already proved itself to be effective among consumers. Expanding your social media outlets will further your competitive edge within the market, creating more buzz about your company. Businesses don’t need to try every outlet, it’s worth it to experiment and see which sites will benefit your business.
